Hero of the Verdant Winds
by AzureFirehawk
Summary: A hum of curiosity resonated from the girl as she shifted to a more upright position. Her fingers drummed against the chair for a moment before she spoke again. "I do not think I have ever seen you before. I wonder, what are you?" What am I? "I-I'm a hero." Izuku's tongue felt leaden as he spoke the first thing that came to mind. "A-at least, that's what I hope to be."
1. Chapter 1

_ Dawn breaks over the horizon, bathing the surrounding hills in golden light. The oppressive gloom of rain and war finally begins to recede. While the sounds of the battle still echo across the field, both armies are beginning to turn towards the center. There, amidst a circle of soldiers, the final blow of the war had been struck._

_ The woman tears her dagger from the man's chest, leaning back to help steady her ragged breaths. Her body shakes with adrenaline as she reaches for the bone-like blade laying next to her. Strands of her seafoam-green hair fall across her face as she hugs the weapon tenderly, further staining her once-white dress in mud and gore. _

_ "It's over, Mother…" she breathes, her lips curving in a gentle smile. "He cannot hurt us any more…"_

Izuku's eyes snapped open, just in time to see the ground rushing up to meet him.

* * *

An ethereal hum filled the empty room. Izuku tried in vain to make out some kind of detail in the blackness, hoping against hope to find something, anything, to tell him where he was. The only light in the room, however, came from the massive stone throne behind him. It's dim glow was just enough to illuminate the dais on which he stood and the top of a set of stairs that extended down into the void.

"Oh my. What could have happened here?"

Izuku wheeled around at the sudden voice. Seated in the once-empty throne was what appeared to be a young girl, clad in what he could only describe as a royal dress. Her eyes were a deep green color that mirrored her hair, a portion of which had been woven with white and red cloth into two braids. _Who is…? Where…?_

The girl rested her chin on her palm, elbow on the stone armrest, her expression betraying the fact that she'd apparently just been sleeping. Still, her eyes seemed to bore into Izuku as she studied him. "Despite your rudeness in interrupting my rest, I wonder how you came to be here. Come closer: I wish to take a look at you."

His body seemed to move on its own as he made his way across the dais towards the base of the throne. More and more questions began to fill his mind, yet for some reason he could not bring himself to speak. _What is this place? Who is this girl? _

A hum of curiosity resonated from the girl as she shifted to a more upright position. Her fingers drummed against the chair for a moment before she spoke again. "I do not think I have ever seen you before. I wonder, what are you?"  
_What am I?_ "I-I'm a hero." Izuku's tongue felt leaden as he spoke the first thing that came to mind. "A-at least, that's what I hope to be."

"A hero!" The girl's features took on a bemused expression at the boy's words, and he felt himself blush a little. "Certainly that is a lofty goal, indeed. So tell me, hero; what is your name?"

The question echoed in his mind, seeming to fill the vast room. It grew louder and louder, nearly to the point of deafening, and an oppressive weight seemed to tug at his very being. For a moment, the scenery around Izuku shifted. The world around him filled with light as he found himself in free fall. Panic gripped at his chest, the buildings around him speeding by and wind roaring in his ears. Just as he was about to meet the ground, the vision changed yet again and he found himself in a forest. A desperate swing of his sword batted away a spear aimed for his side, moments before he plunged his own blade into his attacker's chest.

Both visions faded in mere moments, leaving the boy stunned and gasping for air in the same dark room. His mind reeled in shock, trying to piece together what had happened. The first memory made sense: he had been there. It was how he had died. The second, however, was the real mystery. Outside of models or replicas, Izuku had never held a sword in his life. Even still, the memory felt familiar, almost as if he—

"Go on. It's not a hard question."

Izuku stammered for a moment, his gaze turning back to the girl on the throne. _My name… _"I…I-I don't—M-my name is Izuku, but—" He shook his head, looking back down towards the base of the throne. "—I-I'm not sure…"

"I felt such would be the case. You certainly seem to be an odd one for a mortal." The girl smiled yet again, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Now, Izuku, I simply must know; you must have a day of birth, yes? Beneath which moon and on what day would that fall?"

"I was born on the fifteenth day of the Blue Sea Moon." The answer fell from Izuku's lips before he'd fully even registered the question. Somehow, the words felt familiar, as though he'd been saying them all his life.

Before him, the girl now wore a look of surprise on her face, and she leaned backwards into the throne. "How peculiar. It seems we share our day of birth. You truly are strange, mortal." After a moment, her eyelids began to droop as she stifled a yawn. "Forgive me, but I am exhausted. I believe it is time for another nap. It is almost time…to begin…"

* * *

"—leth. Hey, Byleth! Come on, it's time to wake up."

A large hand rested on Izuku's shoulder, shaking him lightly in an effort to rouse him from his sleep. He let out a tired groan as he rolled over, then slowly pulled himself to a seated position. The room was still dark, lit only by the moon outside, so it only took a moment for his eyes to adjust. A few moments later, he looked up at the source of the voice that had woken him.

"You were having that dream again, weren't you?" the man—Izuku was somehow certain this man was his father—asked, taking a seat in the small wooden chair by the wall.

Izuku—the man had called him Byleth—nodded slowly. "I dreamed about…a young girl…" The voice that came from his mouth was one he'd never heard before, yet a part of his mind knew that it was his own.

His father nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, you've told me about her. I can't say she sounds like anyone I've ever met. But for now, it'd be best to put that out of your mind."

_Put it out of my mind? But I need answers!_ Instead of speaking, the boy found himself nodding in agreement before pulling himself to his feet. He had a brief thought that the floor seemed farther away than normal before his mind was pulled back by his father's voice.

"Our next job is in the Kingdom." The sound of clinking metal accompanied the man's words as he picked up a large shoulder guard that had been resting on the table in the center of the room. "We'll be leaving by dawn so we can cover the most ground."

"Right." Izuku strode quickly to the cabinet at the far end of the room, watching his father don his armor out of the corner of his eye. _This—this has to be a dream…_ Inside the cabinet was a black, long-sleeved coat with a grey emblem stitched into the back, identical to the emblem on the front of his father's shirt. He pulled out the jacket and hurriedly shrugged it on, only slightly surprised at how well it seemed to fit him. The only object now left in the cabinet was what appeared to be a longsword, complete with belt and scabbard. As he pulled it out, Izuku's eyes widened; he'd seen this sword before…in a memory…

"Good grief!" Izuku was pulled back to the present yet again at the man's—his father's—exclamation. "Looks like everyone's ready and waiting for us."

The door to the room opened suddenly, and a man in full plate armor burst in. "Captain Jeralt, sir!" The newcomer gave a brief salute. "I'm sorry to intrude, but we need you outside straight away!"

Jeralt—_so that's what my father's name is, apparently—_turned to face the soldier, quickly doing up the last strap of his gauntlet. "What is it? What's happened?"

"I-I don't know all the details. I was just sent to get you."

Izuku quickly glanced between the two men before pulling on his sword belt and following them out of the building. The cool, pre-dawn air was a welcome sensation, since it helped to dispel the last dregs of sleep from his system. He was only able to savor the feeling for a moment, however, as his attention was quickly drawn towards a small group of people near the town's entrance. The armored messenger gestured towards the group and turned towards Jeralt. "These kids needed to speak with you. It seemed urgent."

His father nodded in understanding. "Very well. Stay close by: depending on what they want, I may need you to get a message to the rest of our group."

As they neared the gate, Izuku could see why the soldier had referred to the group in question as "kids." There were three in total, two boys and a girl, each wearing what appeared to be variants of some kind of school uniform. None of them could have been older than twenty years old.

"Please forgive our intrusion," the blond boy in the middle spoke as they drew closer, bowing slightly. "We are in desperate need of your help, otherwise we would not be bothering you."

Jeralt cocked his head curiously. "I believe you, but what would a group of kids be needing help with at this hour?"

"In brief, we're being pursued by bandits. We hoped we could gain some level of support from you and your group."

"Bandits? All the way out here?"

The girl of the group nodded in response. "They attacked not long after we'd stopped to camp for the evening."

"Now, we're outnumbered and scattered," the dark-haired boy affirmed. "It seems they're more interested in our lives than our gold…"

_Why would bandits be after these kids?_ Izuku couldn't help but feel a measure of irritation that this dream was giving him far more questions than answers. To his side, his father stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I admit, I'm impressed that you three are so calm, given the situation. But your uniforms… are you—"

"Captain!" The soldier from earlier came jogging up to the group, pulling everyone's attention. "Captain, we've spotted a group of bandits nearing the village from the north. It looks like there's about twenty of them."

"Well, it looks like we don't have much of a choice now, do we? We can't just abandon the village." Jeralt sighed and turned towards the soldier. "Take the rest of the group into the woods to the east to hit their flank. Byleth and I will stay here with the kids."

The soldier gave a quick salute before jogging off. "I cannot thank you enough, sir." The blond boy bowed low. "We greatly appreciate your help."

Izuku's father laughed lightly. "Don't thank me just yet; we've still got a fight ahead of us. Besides—" he turned towards Izuku, a broad grin on his face, "—I think I'll be leaving most of the fighting up to you."

* * *

A full moon overhead was all the light Izuku had as he dashed across the small clearing in front of the village. The blond boy, Dimitri, followed close behind, an iron-tipped spear held firmly in both hands. Just as they were about to reach the small cluster of trees, he turned back towards the village. Edelgard, the girl of the trio, had just finished off the bandit that had ventured closest to the village, pausing to extract the arrow that Claude, the dark-haired boy, had fired into his shoulder. He could feel a bit of bile climb into his throat at the sight, but he forced it down as best he could, reminding himself that this was all still a dream.

Dimitri motioned him closer, then gestured towards the small watch tower on the other side of the trees. "Looks like there are three of them by the tower," the boy whispered, gesturing with his lance. "They're using swords, so you and I will be much better equipped to deal with them than Edelgard or Claude."

"They've spotted us." Izuku pulled his sword from its scabbard, surprised at how familiar its weight felt in his hand. "We'll have an advantage if we wait for them here."  
The two spread themselves apart within the small grove, making sure to stay close enough to one another to provide support if needed. Edelgard joined them a few moments later, taking up a similar position to Dimitri's opposite side, while Claude remained outside the trees altogether. To Izuku's surprise, the dark-haired boy didn't wait for the bandit's to enter the tree line. Instead, he took aim with his bow and loosed two arrows in rapid succession at the foremost assailant. The first arrow missed its mark and sailed off into the darkness, catching the bandit's attention. As he raised his weapon, however, the second arrow caught him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

Izuku's body leapt into motion, his instincts telling him to take advantage of the distraction. Sword in hand, he dashed towards the bandit at the rear of the group, knuckles turning white as he tightened his grip on the weapon. The man was caught off guard, barely getting his sword up to deflect the boy's blow. He recovered quickly, however, bringing his own blade around in a shallow arc, aiming towards Izuku's waist.

Something in the boy's mind seemed to come to life as he skipped backwards out of the reach of the attack. As his feet settled, he leapt forward again and swiped horizontally with his blade. His opponent deflected the blow and countered with a stab, one that Izuku batted to the side. This time, instead of backing away, the boy stepped into the block and threw his left hand forward in a quick jab. The punch impacted the man's jaw, sending a tremor through Izuku's arm and leaving the man stumbling backwards. With adrenaline coursing through his body, he continued his momentum, driving his right arm forward in a barely controlled lunge. His right arm jolted slightly as his blade hit home, skipping off one of his opponent's ribs before continuing out the back of his torso.

The bandit went limp almost instantly, crumpling to the ground in front of Izuku. "It's just a dream," he muttered to himself as he tugged his weapon free. "None of this is real. This is all just a vivid dream."

It didn't take too much longer for his comrades to finish their own encounters. Dimitri had followed Izuku's lead, engaging the middle bandit in a one-on-one fight, while Edelgard had given a repeat performance of her earlier fight, finishing off the man Claude had wounded at the start. Of the three, only the blond boy seemed to have suffered any level of injury; a long, shallow cut on his upper arm was currently staining the blue of his cape in fresh blood. Izuku thanked the adrenaline in his system for keeping his normal queasiness at bay.

"Well,,I can see why the captain left you in charge." Edelgard hoisted her axe over her shoulder, striding up with Claude close behind. "You mercenaries certainly are impressive."

The dark-haired boy grinned in agreement, handing Dimitri a small, blue vial. "Indeed. I'm glad we were able to get your help with this situation."

"I mean, it's not like we could really say no," Izuku replied, scratching the back of his head. "I know it wouldn't sit well on my father's conscience, let alone my own."

Their conversation was cut short by a burst of angry yelling on the opposite side of the watchtower. All four turned their attention towards the noise, watching as another small group of bandits made their way towards the village. Without a word, Izuku motioned towards another cluster of trees nearby, this one on the far side of the watchtower, but still quite some distance from the bandits.

As the group moved along the field, steering clear of the torchlight surrounding the watchtower, the sound of hooves caught their attention. Izuku turned to see his father riding up to meet them. "I just got word that nearly all of the other bandits have been dealt with. The three over there must be the leader and his entourage."

"Are you planning to fight him yourself?"

Jeralt shook his head. "Not unless something happens. With how you managed to take down the rest of the bandits so far, I doubt you'll have much trouble with him."

Izuku nodded, then turned back towards the others. "I'll focus on the leader. He'll be at a disadvantage since he's using an axe. You three focus on his guards."

The three nodded in agreement before continuing into the trees. They didn't have to wait long, since the bandit leader had spotted them while they'd been talking with Jeralt. He shouted for his men to move up, letting both of them take point as they started to close in. Izuku looked at Claude who met his gaze briefly. The dark-haired boy then nodded and stepped out from the trees and once again let fly with his bow. This time, both arrows met their target, the first catching the man in the chest, while the second impacted his throat. The bandit's body had barely hit the ground when Izuku and Dimitri ran at the remaining two.

"Get outta my way, kid!" The bandit leader shouted, meeting Izuku's charge head on with an upward, two-handed swing. The attack was easily deflected, but the force of the impact against his sword left Izuku's joints aching. A second attack quickly followed, an overhead strike that the boy had to roll to avoid.

In the time it took for the leader to pull his axe head free from the ground, Izuku was able to climb back to his feet and bring his sword to bear. "That empty stare is really unsettling," the bandit growled, tightening his grip on his weapon. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment before the bandit charged again. Instead of trying to block the initial attack outright, Izuku angled his sword to guide the axe blade harmlessly to the side. This simple shift in momentum left the bandit off balance, and moments later the boy was bringing his sword across in a two handed swipe that easily sheared through the bandit leader's chestpiece.

The man cried out in pain before falling to the earth, fresh blood staining his leather armor before seeping into the dirt. Izuku breathed a heavy sigh and sheathed his sword, turning back towards the rest of his group. Claude was busy retrieving his arrows from the bandit he'd shot down, while Dimitri's fight with his opponent had moved some distance away, so he made his way towards Edelgard. The girl offered a warm smile as he approached, but her expression quickly changed to one of surprise mixed with fear.

Movement behind him cause Izuku to spin around. The bandit leader had leapt to his feet and was charging towards them, his gaze locked on Edelgard. Adrenaline flooded the boy's system as he desperately sprinted towards the girl. He made it just in time to shove her out of the reach of the attack, but could do nothing to avoid it himself. He could only watch the axe blade swinging towards his chest as the entire world around him seemed to stand still.

* * *

**So, I've been bouncing this idea around in my head for a while now, and figured I might as well get it out there and see what happens. I feel like this is going to be a fun challenge for me that will keep me motivated to not only write this story, but to keep working on my other fics as well. Please feel free to pitch ideas for how you'd like to see future chapters/events play out, since there is a decent chance I'll end up applying it.**

**Thank you all so much for your support, and I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.**


	2. Chapter 2

An empty void greeted Izuku as he tentatively opened his eyes. The bandit, the village, the watchtower—everything had vanished into nothingness. Even his chest, which should have been torn open by an axeblade, showed no signs of any injury. A part of him wondered if he was now having a new dream, but the cloak he wore and the sword in his hand told him otherwise.

"You fool! What were you possibly trying to accomplish?"

The voice was unmistakable. He turned towards the sound and found himself standing yet again in front of the massive stone throne. The same girl as before was leaning against the armrest, head propped up on her hand. "It's as though you're _trying_ to get me killed!" She stared at him for a long moment before her expression softened. "I shouldn't be too angry. After all, if you don't know the value of your life, you're not likely to protect it very well."

Izuku's brow furrowed in confusion and frustration. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying that me trying to save that girl was the same as throwing my life away? Besides, it's not like I can actually die in this dream. I'd just wake up if that happened."

"A dream? A dream!" A harsh, mocking laugh echoed through the room. "Tell me, hero; if this were truly a dream, would you feel this?" As she spoke, the girl pinched the back of her hand hard, twisting the skin.

At the same time, Izuku felt a sharp pain on the back of his own hand. He yelped and looked down for the cause of the sensation, finding two thin, curved indentations in his flesh. "When did—H-How—"

This time, the girl's laughter held a level of amusement to it. "Do you understand now, Izuku? Or shall I explain your circumstance in detail?"

The air in the room seemed to thicken, making it difficult to breathe. His heart began to race as the implications of what this strange girl was saying began to set in. "I-I don't—w-what happened to me? W-what is going on?" Izuku dropped to his knees, clutching his head as dizziness and nausea began to set in. "I-I don't understand!"

"Looks like I will have to spell it out for you, then." With another sigh, the girl stood from the throne and stepped down onto the dais. "It seems that your soul and mine have been bound to that of your current body's original inhabitant. While I have somehow remained separate, it would appear that yours and his have become one and the same."

"B-but—" he took a deep breath to steady himself, desperately fighting to keep his emotions in check. "But h-how did my soul get _here_?"

"You died. From what I gathered from your memories, you were trying to defend a girl then, too."

Her words pulled the vision of Izuku falling back to his mind. He remembered the wind rushing by him, his limbs dangling uselessly behind him as he plummeted towards the earth. There had been nothing to catch him, nothing to break his fall. A sob tore its way through his throat as tears welled up in his eyes.

"You remember that much, it seems. As I said, you obviously do not understand the value of your own life." The girl turned and padded back towards the throne, retaking her original seated position.

Izuku wasn't sure how much time passed before he was able to regain some level of composure. His joints groaned in protest as he pushed himself back to his feet. A part of him still rejected that this whole situation was actually a reality, but he figured his only option either way was to try and move forward. "S-so… what happens now?"

A smile stretched across the girl's face. "Well, since you seem to be absolutely hopeless on your own, I suppose it will be up to me to guide you, won't it? And if I am to be your guide, you will also need to know my name." The smile faded, and the girl's expression became pensive for a moment. "You may call me… Sothis."

"Is… is that actually your name?" Izuku raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you're not sure about it."

The girl, Sothis, shook her head slowly. "No, that is indeed my name. It's odd, but until just now… I was not able to recall my name." Something must have changed in Izuku's expression, because Sothis's face quickly changed from thoughtful to agitated. "What, do you think me a child that forgets her own name? Remember, that 'child' just saved your life, so what does that make you?"

"I never said—I'm not a child either, ok?" _This girl is as irritating as she is mysterious!_ _What is her deal?_

"As I recall, you have thrown your life way not once, but twice now, just to save a young girl. If anyone is the child here, it is you! But—" Sothis held up her hand, cutting off Izuku's coming protest. "—all is well for now. I have stalled the flow of time to preserve your life."

"I—you—" Izuku babbled for a moment, trying to make sense of what the girl had just said. "You… stopped time?"

Sothis nodded, frowning slightly. "That I did, though I am not sure how. Not to mention that it does not solve our current predicament."

"What do you mean?"

"Once time begins again, that axe will tear into you, and you will almost certainly die." The girl leaned back against the stone throne, shaking her head absently. "And to think you were rude enough to drag me into this."

Izuku's mind raced as he tried to think of a solution. "Wouldn't it be possible to just stop the bandit? No, that'd have too many repercussions on reality. Maybe just keep time frozen… but then nothing would change. Wait—" his sudden change in volume grabbed Sothis's attention. "If you have the ability to stop time, could you reverse it as well?"

Her eyes widened and a smile formed yet again. "That's it! I can just turn back the hands of time!" Sothis closed her eyes and stretched out one hand, a look of intense concentration forming on her face. A few seconds later, the center of her palm began to shine before a series of circles appeared in the air in front of her, appearing almost like a bullseye with varying sizes of rings. The outer two rings were filled with words that were rotating in opposite smaller circles, each containing what seemed to be an astrological sign, formed an upside-down triangular pattern around the central ring. In the very center of it all was a glowing symbol that seemed oddly familiar to him, though he could not place it.

"I cannot turn back time too far, but you will retain your memory of this moment. You will know what is to come, so you should be able to protect yourself." The light of the circle slowly began to intensify, and Izuku had to shield his eyes with his hand. "Now you, you who bears the flames within, drift through time, and find the answers you seek."

* * *

Izuku breathed a heavy sigh and sheathed his sword, turning back towards the rest of his group. Claude was busy retrieving his arrows from the bandit he'd shot down, while Dimitri's fight with his opponent had moved some distance away, so he made his way towards Edelgard. He offered the girl a brief smile before looking back over his shoulder.

He watched as the bandit leader kicked himself back up to his feet, pausing briefly to grab his weapon before charging towards the two. This time, Izuku didn't hesitate before leaping into motion, only instead of moving towards Edelgard, he found himself running towards the bandit. Surprise crossed the bandit leader's features and he turned to face the boy, stumbling in an attempt to change his momentum. Just as he was about to reach the man, Izuku felt a familiar power welling up within him, spreading through his entire body, causing his entire form to quake. A mere fraction of a second later, Izuku's fist slammed into the bandit's chest with massive force. The man was sent airborne, sailing through the air for a couple of meters before slamming into the northwest leg of the watchtower.

Pain lanced through Izuku's hand and forearm as he stumbled backwards a few steps, the power flowing out of him as quickly as it had come. He winced and looked down, seeing that his wrist was slightly misshapen and beginning to swell. _So it worked this time, but not against the robot? What the hell?_

The sound of hooves captured his attention and he turned back towards his comrades. Jeralt came riding up at a trot, a look of concern mixed with curiosity painting his features, while Dimitri and Claude regrouped with Edelgard. "Hey," the older mercenary asked as he dismounted. "What just—"

"The Knights of Seiros are here!" a new voice called, drawing everyone's attention towards the west where a group of about ten armed soldiers had appeared. "We will cut you down for terrorizing our students!"

A handful of bandits, who had apparently been hiding in the nearby woods, broke cover and sprinted towards the north, away from the village. The majority of the newly arrived knights began to give chase, deftly unslinging their bows as they ran. Their leader and the two remaining knights made their way across the field towards Jeralt, Izuku, and the three students. "Well, it looks like you three are unharmed, for the most part. And… who is this?"

Jeralt let out a longsuffering sigh and handed Izuku his horse's reins, shaking his head and muttering to himself as he turned to greet the newcomers. From this distance, the boy could easily make out the armor the knights were wearing. Two of the knights were clad in simple-looking plate mail, with large guard-pieces covering their upper arms and shoulders. Their helmets were nearly cylindrical in shape, jutting out slightly in front to accommodate for the wearer's face and with a narrow slit in front for visibility. After a moment, Izuku realized he had seen this same armor before in a dream, worn by an army fight on a rain-soaked battlefield.

The leader of the knights was wearing a slightly different style of armor. His seemed more ornate, with a large, spiked pauldron over the left shoulder, and even bearing a simple inlay across the breastplate. The man studied Jeralt's face for a brief moment before smiling widely and stepping closer. "Captain Jeralt! It really is you! Goodness, it's been ages. After you disappeared all those years ago… who could have guessed we'd meet all the way out here?"

"It's good to see you too, Alois," Jeralt sighed, clasping the man's outstretched hand briefly. "You can drop the 'captain,' you know. I'm not your superior any more, just a wandering mercenary. Forgive my rudeness, by my son and I really need to get going."

"R-right, I understand. Farewell, captain." The man, Alois, nodded solemnly for a moment, then seemed to realize what he was saying. "Wait! No, I must insist you return with us to the Monastery. The archbishop would be furious with me if she found out I ran into you here without bringing you back for even a brief while.'

Another sigh escaped Jeralt as he shook his head. "I had a feeling you'd say something like that. Guess I don't have much of a choice now, do I?"

Alois chuckled. "Well, if you don't, I wouldn't be surprised if Her Grace sent us after you to try and convince you. And what about you?" He turned towards Izuku, tilting his head curiously. "And what about you, kid. Are you the son Captain Jeralt mentioned?"

"I've never seen this man in my life," Izuku deadpanned, struggling a little to keep his expression blank. _Really? Sarcasm? Just what kind of a person was this Byleth?_

The armored man let out a hearty laugh. "That's a sure confirmation if I've ever heard one. Clearly cut from the same cloth as the captain! I think you'd fit right in at Garreg Mach. You will join us, won't you?"

Izuku couldn't help but nod in reply, much to the obvious chagrin of his father. "I guess that settles it," Jeralt sighed again. "Give me a few minutes to inform the rest of my men about the change in plan. Byleth, you wait here with the others until I return." Taking the reins from his son, the older mercenary quickly mounted and took off at a trott towards the eastern woods. Alois gave Izuku a friendly pat on the shoulder before turning and walking back towards his knights, most of whom were just now returning from their pursuit of the remaining bandits.

"Hey!" A girl's voice from behind caused the boy to jump slightly. He turned to find himself face to face with Edelgard with Dimitri and Claude close behind. "I realized I never properly thanked you for earlier. There's no doubt you're experienced in combat. And your father—Is he really Jeralt, the Blade Breaker?"

"Uh…" Izuku silently cursed his inexperience with talking to girls his age. "He… never really talked about his past much. I just found out that he had been a captain about two minutes ago."

Edelgard seemed surprised at the revelation. "Interesting. I wonder why he never told you about that."

"That aside," Claude cut in, a wry smile on his face, "you are coming to the monastery with us, right? You've probably figured it out by now, but the three of us are actually students in the Officer's Academy there. We were in the middle of some exercises when we got attacked and I definitely caught the worst of it."

"Of course you did," the girl scoffed. "You ran off almost immediately!"

His grin didn't fade at all as he turned back towards Izuku. "She's right. I realized very quickly that I needed to make a tactical retreat. But these two decided to follow me and ruined everything!"

"Oh, that's what it was?" Dimitri voice was slightly obscured as he tightened the bandages on his arm with his free hand and teeth. "I thought you were being valiant and acting as a decoy."

Izuku couldn't help but hide his own smile behind his hand as Edelgard shook her head. "You should know better, Dimitri. Your strength as a ruler will certainly be lacking if you cannot read a person's true intentions."

The blond boy nodded in response. "While I agree, I feel you would also be a poor ruler if you cannot trust anyone, and only look for lies in what people say."

_Rulers?_ Izuku felt his brow furrow slightly with confusion. _Are these two… royalty?_

To his left, Claude sighed and shook his head. "Great. Another royal debate between The Highnesses… I wonder how being completely predictable would affect someone's ability to rule… Personally, this whole debate makes the two of you seem totally naive."

"Me? Naive?" Edelgard seemed furious at the accusation. "Tell me, Claude; are you physically incapable of keeping quiet, or do you suffer from some condition that causes your total lack of self-awareness?"

"In any case—" Izuku was quietly grateful for Dimitri interjecting. As entertaining as the argument had become, he was beginning to fear the possibility of a fight breaking out between them. "—please forgive our rude behavior. There is something I wish to speak with you about, if you have a moment."

After looking around to confirm that his father had not yet returned, Izuku gave a polite nod. "Or course. It doesn't look like we'll be set to leave for at least another few minutes.

Dimitri nodded in understanding before he continued his thought. "I must say, I am very impressed at how you handled yourself during the battle. I'd like to think I can hold my own in a fight, but watching you was truly inspiring."

"Indeed," Edelgard interjected. "And it's because of your skill that I must ask you to consider lending your services to the Empire. You may not know this, but I am actually the Adrestian Empire's—"

A hint of anger flashed across Dimitri's face. "Edelgard, please. Allow me to finish my own proposal before being rude and interrupting me." He turned back to face Izuku, anger now replaced by embarrassment. "The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is certainly in need of your skills. I hope you would consider returning with me and becoming one of our knights."

Claude did his best to suppress his laughter as he shook his head. "Speaking of lacking as a ruler, I'm pretty sure some level of tact is required. Personally, my plan was to build a deep, lasting friendship on our journey back before begging for favors. But, now that these two have bypassed any niceties, I guess I'll just cut to the chase: Where does your allegiance lie, friend?"

_My allegiance? _Izuku rested his chin in his hand as he pondered the question. _They've mentioned the Kingdom and the Empire, but I have no idea where Claude is from. Not to mention I know absolutely nothing about these places._

"_It would seem—"_ Sothis's voice echoed in his mind, startling him a little. _"—they seem to place great weight on one's place of birth, yet you have impressed them enough that they do not care."_

"I…" he began slowly, unsure of how to proceed. "I don't know how to answer. I'm not really tied to any particular place."

Edelgard shook her head. "I had a feeling such would be the case, with you being a traveling mercenary and all."

"True," Dimitri agreed. "Regardless, I do hope you will come to some sort of decision soon."

Izuku opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by armored footsteps announcing Alois's approach. "All right, let's get a move on. The sooner we head out, the sooner we can make it back to Garreg Mach."

* * *

By the time the group had reached the front gate of Garreg Mach Monastery, the sun had risen high in the morning sky, illuminating the world around them. When the structure had first come into view from the forest's edge, Izuku could tell the building was truly massive. Now that he stood just outside, however, he realized even that description was lacking. "They call it a monastery," he muttered to no one in particular, "but it's more of a castle than anything."

Behind him, Dimitri let out a low chuckle. "You're not all that wrong. The monastery itself is only one of many buildings beyond these walls. But as this is the seat of power for the Church of Seiros, it is called Garreg Mach Monastery, not Garreg Mach Castle."

After a minute or so, Alois and Jeralt returned from speaking with the head guard and gestured for the rest of the group to move up towards the gate. At the same moment, the massive portcullis began to rise, giving Izuku a full view into the monastery. Immediately inside the main gate seemed to be a small market. To the left, a blacksmith had a fully functional forge set up, along with a vast array of weapons and armor in various stages of completion. Next to the forge was a simple stand that appeared to be an armory, obviously meant to be the storefront where the blacksmith would sell his wares. Directly across from the blacksmith's forge was a small shack that seemed to be a pub of sorts. Various soldiers and mercenary types were floating around the building, and Izuku could only assume it was a sort of make-shift temp agency for fighters. Attached to the pub was another stand, similar to the blacksmith's armory, only instead of weapons and armor, this one held a variety of utility items ranging from torches to camping supplies to potions.

The group split not long after passing through the first main building, a large entrance hall and meeting area that connected to the dinning hall. Alois's men bid Jeralt farewell and made their way towards the knight's hall, while Dimitri, Edelgard, and Claude left in the opposite direction, heading to the students' dorms. This just left Izuku, Jeralt, and Alois to continue their way further into the monastery.

"Archbishop Rhea will be so happy to see you both." Alois smiled broadly as he lead the other two into the reception hall, a massive room lined with tables and benches on either side. Groups of students and knights had gathered to study, play various games, or simply to chat and gossip. _Almost like the commons at my middle school_. "I'll lead you upstairs to her audience chamber. She's usually there this time of day."

They traveled to the end of the hall, then up a few flights of stairs before arriving at what could only be called a throne room. Large pillars lined the outer edges of the room, and near the back, two hallways broke off in either direction, though Izuku could not see where they lead. A small throne sat at the very end in an elevated alcove of sorts, backed by a large, stained glass window. The three of them stepped into the room before Alois turned and bowed briefly. "I'll let Lady Rhea know you've arrived."

A brief moment passed before Jeralt let out a sigh he'd obviously been holding in for a while. "To be back here after all these years… I can't even remember how long it's been since I last laid eyes on Lady Rhea."

"How come you never told me before that you used to be with the Knights of Seiros?" Izuku had hoped that some of Byleth's memories would have surfaced during this trip, but apparently all of this was new to him as well.

His father shrugged, almost apologetically. "Like I said, it was many years ago. I was the head of the Knights of Seiros, the order of knights dedicated to protecting the church and Archbishop Rhea."

Izuku scratched the back of his head absently. "I'm guessing she's basically the head of the Church of Seiros?"

"That's right. The head of what is basically the national church of Fódlan lives right here, and I used to report to her on a regular—"

The door at the end of the right side hallway opened suddenly, followed by footsteps. Jeralt and Izuku both turned towards the source of the noise and saw two figures making their way towards the audience hall. The man in front had long, dark-green hair that came down almost to his shoulders, with a thin beard that adorned his jawline. His eyes, the same color as his hair, burned with an intensity that reminded Izuku of some of the heroes he'd admired in his past life. Behind him strode a familiar-looking woman with an air of nobility about her. Long, seafoam-green hair spilled down over her shoulders, with two white flowers pinning it in place over her ears. Both wore regal robes of white and dark blue, with golden stitching drawing intricate patterns through the fabric. Izuku couldn't help but think that the crown atop the woman's head had almost the exact same design as the one worn by Sothis.

"Thank you for your patience," the man said as they drew closer, nodding politely. "My name is Seteth, advisor to the archbishop."  
Jeralt bowed in greeting, Izuku quickly following suit. "A pleasure to meet you."

The lady next to Seteth, presumably the archbishop, smiled warmly. "It has been too long, Jeralt. I must wonder… was this chance meeting brought about by the will of the Goddess?"

"I… apologize for my silence. Much has happened these past years that has kept my attention elsewhere." Something about his father's voice made Izuku wonder how much of what he was saying was true.

"I understand." Lady Rhea's smile faltered only slightly at the man's words, and she turned her gaze towards the boy. As their eyes met, a hint of confusion crossed her features, but it faded so quickly that he thought he may have imagined it. "Fatherhood can be quite a demanding task. This is your son, yes?"

Jeralt nodded in reply. "Byleth was born a few years after I left. Unfortunately, his mother passed away due to illness soon after…"

The archbishop's expression remained unchanged. "Byleth, was it? Alois told me you played a major role in protecting some of our students. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. When we finish speaking here, please visit the knight's hall and ask for Lydia, our Knight healer." She gestured towards the makeshift splint and sling that was stabilizing his injured wrist. "Tell her that I sent you, and she should be able to take care of whatever injury you may have sustained."

Izuku bowed respectfully, instantly curious about the hinted healing method that could take care of any injury. To his side, he could see his father tense up, letting out a not so quiet sigh. "Jeralt, I'm sure you know what it is that I wish to say."

"You want me to stay, to rejoin the Knights of Seiros." The man took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "To be honest, I don't know if I could refuse…"

Seteth shifted slightly in agitation, obviously frustrated at Jeralt's candidness. Lady Rhea, on the other hand, merely shook her head sadly. "I thought that Alois would have already asked you himself. While I can understand your hesitance, that does not make it hurt any less. For now, however, I must step away, though I expect the rest of the knights will want to speak with you while you are here. Until tomorrow, Jeralt. Byleth."

* * *

"I knew this would happen, getting pulled back in with the Knights." Jeralt slumped into the bench across the table from Izuku. Little more than an hour had passed since their meeting with the archbishop. He had parted ways with his father when they'd reached the knight's hall. Just as Lady Rhea said, Lydia was able to easily heal his wrist with something the young healer referred to as White Magic. It took less than a minute for what was likely a compound fracture and muscle damage to become little more than an achy joint and faded bruise. While he was having his injury tended to, his father had been having a reunion of sorts with Alois and the other knights, something he apparently hadn't been looking forward to.

"Not only that—" the man continued, "—but it looks like I've gotten you dragged into this as well. Lady Rhea will likely be requesting services fairly soon as well…"

Izuku's eyebrows raised in surprise. "R-really? Like, as a servant? A mercenary?" This was the first time he'd heard anything along these lines, and he hadn't picked up on any hints from their brief conversation with Seteth and the archbishop.

"Nothing like that," his father replied with a laugh. "No, they'll probably ask you to teach here in the Officers Academy. Apparently one of the teachers was injured and forced to retire in that attack we had to help out with. I'm pretty sure Alois was the one who recommended you directly to Lady Rhea. Regardless, I think it'd be best for you to stay on your guard—"

"Oh my." Izuku and Jeralt both turned at the new voice. Making their way towards their table was another pair; a woman wearing a fancy white coat over a rather revealing dress, and a gentleman with gray hair, dressed in what appeared to be a three-piece suit. Both appeared to be in their late thirties to early forties. "You must be the new professor. The archbishop never said you'd be so handsome!"

The look that crossed Jeralt's face almost caused Izuku to burst out laughing. The man stammered for a moment before regaining some semblance of composure. "Er… n-no, I'm not the new professor." He stood quickly, almost knocking over the table. "You, uh… you can handle it from here."

Izuku and the two newcomers looked on in confusion as Jeralt half-ran from the hall, the boy fighting back laughter the whole while. Turning back around, he gestured for the two to take the newly opened bench across from him. "I apologize. I'm apparently the new professor."

"You? Really?" The woman quirked an eyebrow curiously. "You're so young…"

The mustachioed man chuckled and shook his head. "Age does not always indicate competence, you know. But first thing's first. I am Hanneman, a Crest scholar and fellow professor here at the academy. At some point, when you have a moment to spare, I would love to find out whether you might have a Crest of your own."

Before the boy could ask what these Crests were, the woman spoke up. "My name is Manuela. I'm a professor as well, though I'm also a physician, songstress… and available."

"Y-you're a physician?" Izuku stammered, trying desperately to keep his composure after the woman's words. _Never mind the fact that she's probably twice my age, why is she brazenly flirting like that?_

"Oh, am I too pretty for that line of work?" Manuela gave a wry grin and laughed lightly. "But yes, I spend most of my time in the infirmary when I'm not teaching. Feel free to come and visit if you're ever—"

"Please, spare our new colleague of your antics, Manuela." Hanneman cleared his throat then turned back towards Izuku, who was hoping his face wasn't nearly as red as it felt. "Now then, from what I hear, you'll be taking charge of one of the three houses here at the academy. Has Seteth or Lady Rhea told you which you will be over?"

Izuku shook his head. "No, they haven't. The never actually told me I was going to be a professor. It was all speculation until just a few minutes ago."

"Is that so?" The gray-haired man brushed his mustache idly with his thumb for a moment. "I wonder, then, how they will go about this. You see, Manuela and I have already been assigned a house for the year, but there's a possibility they will redo those assignments now."

The other professor nodded. "We'll just have to wait and see what the archbishop decides to do. In the meantime, you should take some time and visit with the students. So far, only the house leaders know you're the new professor. That should make for a fun surprise for the rest of the students."

While his apprehension was continuing to rise at the prospect of being an actual teacher here—_I just barely finished _middle school!—Izuku couldn't turn down the prospect of a good prank like Manuela was suggesting. "That does sound like fun," he replied with a grin, rising from the bench with his two new colleagues. "Here's hoping I don't give myself away."

Hanneman and Manuela bade Izuku farewell before heading towards the stairs leading to the second floor. Now that he was left alone, he realized he had no idea where any of the classrooms were located. After a brief yet frantic search, Izuku located one of the knights near the far entrance to the reception hall and made a beeline in his direction.

"Uh, excuse me," he called out as he drew closer. The guard jumped slightly, then offered a polite nod in his direction. "I-I'm looking for the students' classrooms. I'm the new professor that just arrived this morning."

"Ah yes, Professor Byleth, correct?" the knight gestured towards the doorway to Izuku's right. "To the right just beyond that doorway is the Officer's Academy courtyard. The students should be in their respective classrooms right now."

_Simple enough._ Izuku thanked the guard before heading off in the indicated direction. After passing through the door, he found himself in a sort of open-air hallway lined with a series of archways. Just as the knight had said, a large, grassy courtyard stretched out to his right, with a series of square pillars identical to the ones surrounding him lining the far side. Along the wall opposite those pillars were three massive doorways outlined with intricate stonework. A pair of banners hung in each doorway, which Izuku guessed indicated which room belonged to which house.

As he stepped into the courtyard, he was quickly greeted by a familiar face. "Byleth!" Claude called from by one of the pillars. "Over here!"

Izuku quickened his pace and made his way towards the dark-haired boy. "You weren't waiting for me, were you?"

The boy laughed in reply. "No. I may have taken a liking to you, but not that much. I actually just stepped out for a breath of fresh air. And what about you, teach? Did you come to meet the other students?"

_Teach? Really? _"Yeah, that's the plan," Izuku sighed. "Still trying to come to terms with all this."

"You'll do fine! Now, follow me, and I'll introduce you to everyone."

* * *

The audience hall seemed even more imposing as Izuku strode through the large entryway. Seteth and Lady Rhea were there, accompanied by professors Manuela and Hanneman who both turned to greet him as he entered. The boy took a deep, steadying breath before continuing forward, moving to stand between his two new colleagues.

"Thank you for coming, Byleth," the archbishop began, giving the boy a warm smile. "I hope you have been enjoying your stay so far, brief as it has been."

"That I have been," he replied with a bow. "I look forward to serving with the best of my abilities."

Lady Rhea offered a simple nod before turning to her advisor. The man cleared his throat. "I presume you have heard, at least in part, what is expected of you?"

Izuku inclined his head briefly. "Yes, sir. From my understanding, I will be taking charge of one of the houses."

"That is correct. I feel I must let you know that I am personally against entrusting this responsibility to someone with no trackable history of any sort, yet this appointment comes from the archbishop herself. Since she has decided to put her trust in you, I have no choice but to do the same."

It was as though a lead weight had embedded itself in Izuku's stomach. To be the target of such distrust and skepticism served as yet another reminder that he truly was an outsider here, both in the monastery and in this world itself. He swallowed hard, but met the older man's gaze. "I promise to do everything in my power to stay worthy of that trust."

"See that you do." While Seteth's expression didn't noticibly soften, he did seem to relax to some extent. "Now, since you are technically taking over for a teacher who has recently retired, we have decided to simply have you take over his responsibilities. Hanneman and Manuela, your respective assignments have not changed. Byleth, starting today you will be watching over…"

* * *

**Holy crap, I did not expect this chapter to be this long when I started it, so I really hope it didn't feel too overly drawn out. That said, I honestly don't know if this is going to end up being the average length of chapters in this fic, given how some sections of the actual game end up playing out. **

**As always, thank you for your continued support, and I hope you keep enjoying the story!**


	3. Chapter 3

The sound of wood scraping across stone pulled Izuku's thoughts back to the present as Claude seated himself on the other side of the table. "So not only do you fight well, you also have good taste." The student gestured with his fork towards the new professor's half-empty plate. "Roasted pheasant has always been one of my favorites."

_So that's what this is. _Izuku nodded and swallowed. "I wasn't too familiar with the other dishes, so I settled on something I recognized." At first glance, he had thought it to be turkey with cranberry sauce, similar to a traditional American holiday dish. Something about it had tasted a little off, however, so he was grateful for the clarification.

"You can rarely go wrong with something you know well," Dimitri remarked as he took a seat beside Izuku, setting a bowl of dark soup, smelling strongly of fish and onion, on the table in front of him. "Though I will admit, trying something new can lead to unexpectedly good results."

A look of feigned surprise formed on Claude's face and he clutched at his chest dramatically. "Do mine ears deceive me? Did the princeling just say he may be willing to try new things?"

The blond boy rolled his eyes, thumping Izuku lightly on the back as he choked on his food slightly. "Give it a rest, Claude. You know I'm more than willing to try new tactics. It's simply that your wild schemes are often a little too far-fetched for my taste."

"I fail to see how that's a bad thing." Claude's ever-present grin seemed to grow as Dimitri shook his head, clearly tired of what seemed to be an ongoing argument. "Besides, maybe our new professor here could help me refine some of my strategies?"

It took Izuku a moment to realize he was being talked to, though a mouthful of pheasant was currently preventing him from making a reply. Thankfully, he didn't have to, as a third student joined them. Edelgard seated herself next to Claude, taking a bite of her salad before speaking. "That would depend. Do we know which house the professor will be in charge of?"

The boys both shook their heads. "We, uh, haven't asked yet," Dimitri said, a little sheepishly. "Are you going to tell us, or is that still a secret?"

"No," Izuku replied after finishing the last bite of his dinner. "Lady Rhea wants me to keep that secret until tomorrow. Also, just call me Iz—Byleth. There's no need to be so formal with me."

His near slip seemed to go mostly unnoticed, though Claude did quirk an eyebrow. "I'll certainly try to remember that, professor," the brown-haired boy said with a wink, drawing a disapproving head shake from Edelgard. "Either way, I look forward to the big reveal."

"Certainly," Dimitri agreed. "Professor Manuela does have her merits, but I'd be interested to see what your experiences could bring to the table."

"From the sound of it, I'll likely be able to work with students from all three houses throughout the term. Sorry for cutting this short, but Hanneman and Manuela wanted to go over a few things before it got too late."

After downing the last of his drink, Izuku piled his silverware onto his plate and stepped out from the table. The three students nodded in understanding, giving the new professor a quick wave before he hurried off.

* * *

_"Well, that must be a weight off your shoulders_._"_

Night had fully settled in by the time Izuku left the main building of the monastery. The other two professors had wanted to give him a basic rundown of how the teaching system worked, which ended up being much more of a relief than he'd originally anticipated. "You could say that," he muttered in reply to Sothis. "I'm just grateful they aren't expecting too much of me right off the bat."

From what he had learned, the teacher he was replacing mostly oversaw physical combat training and tactics, as well as being what was essentially a homeroom teacher for his house. Since he was new and had no actual teaching experience, Seteth had asked some of the higher ranking Knights of Seiros to help him teach. Beyond that, his duties would consist of helping the students in his house reach individual goals and focus on preparing for monthly missions.

His steps led him to the wall of the keep where he gazed out over the landscape, illuminated only slightly by the waning moon. After a long minute, he turned his attention up towards the stars twinkling overhead. At first the vision was oddly comforting, a reminder of home. Yet the more he stared, the more alien these stars seemed to be. No hint of the Milky Way, no familiar patterns or constellations.

"Why am I here, Sothis?" His voice was barely a whisper, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. "Couldn't I just have gone… wherever it is you go when you die?"

_"I… am not sure." _The girl's voice seemed puzzled. _"If I were to hazard a guess, it seems you possessed some power in your past life that shared a bond with this boy's body somehow. What that connection is…"_

"You're saying that Byleth… has a connection to One for All?" Izuku looked down at his hand, slowly closing and opening his fist. He remembered the feeling at the village when he'd activated his quirk to take out the bandit leader. The power had felt muted, somehow, almost as if it hadn't all been there. Without thinking, he reached inside and activated his quirk.

Once again, the power seemed to flood through his form, ignoring his attempt to focus it into his arm. Green lightning arced across his body, creating an emerald glow that illuminated the nearby stonework. After a couple of seconds, he let go of his quirk, collapsing to his knees from the strain.

_"You need to be careful!"_ Sothis scolded. _"That power is obviously too much for you to handle!"_

Izuku shook his head. "I need to practice with it somehow. I wouldn't be much of a successor if I never learn how to use it."

The girl was obviously upset, but eventually let out a sigh of resignation. _"Fine. But I'm going to make sure you do not use more than you are able."_

"Wait," the boy's eyes widened at this revelation. "You can… regulate it?"

"_That's what I've been doing," _she replied with a huff. _"You obviously need _someone _to keep you from killing yourself."_

Excitement began to well up inside Izuku as yet another of his worries practically solved itself. Now he had a way to practice controlling his quirk without having to worry about destroying his limbs like he had at the exam. "So you'll help me get this under control?"

Sothis sighed. _"I will. But no more tonight. You need your rest if you want to be some semblance of a teacher in the morning."_

* * *

For what felt like the hundredth time, Izuku splashed water against his face, trying to force the redness to fade from his eyes. The morning had started off mostly ok: he'd slept surprisingly well, considering everything that had happened the day before. Once his grogginess had faded and he realized where he was, however, his tears began anew. Combined with a look in the mirror, and he was honestly surprised he wasn't fully catatonic. It had taken him nearly an hour to gain even this level of composure.

The bells in the monastery began to toll the hour, reminding him that he had a class to meet. It took a great deal of effort to still his breathing as he stood and collected his bag of materials, making a clear point to have his back to the mirror. "I can do this," he mumbled to himself. "I survived Kacchan for eleven years, I can survive this. They don't have quirks, either, so it won't be that big of a deal."

He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the day ahead, before making his way out towards the classrooms. Groups of students were scattered throughout his path, most heading to various classrooms while others stood and mingled off to the sides. A handful of knights greeted him as they exited the training grounds, heading off towards the barracks. There were even a few stray dogs and cats lazing about or playing in the grass. Were it not for the shining armor, strange uniforms, and medieval architecture, Izuku thought he could probably feel like he was at a regular high school.

As he walked, taking in the various sights and sounds, he could feel a part of himself—the part that was still Byleth—becoming more and more relaxed. It was a sensation that he certainly was not used to, but one that helped put him at ease nonetheless. _If I'm ever gonna get used to this body, I guess I'll have to learn how he feels, too._

"Ah, Byleth, good morning," Hanneman greeted him as he entered the courtyard in front of the main classrooms. "You're certainly here early."

Izuku gave the man a polite smile and nod. "Good morning, Professor Hanneman. I figured it wouldn't hurt to get a little more acquainted with the layout of the monastery and classrooms. I'd like to at least be able to pretend to know what I'm doing."

The older man chuckled lightly, carefully returning the book he'd been reading to his satchel. "I suppose that makes some amount of sense. That reminds me, would you be willing to stop by my office after classes are through for the day? I do a lot of research regarding Crests, and was hoping to see if you have one and what it may be."

"I, uh…" _Crests? What are Crests?_ He fumbled for a moment before responding. "Sure, I'd be happy to help. It's just that I don't know much at all about Crests."  
"You would? Really?" Hanneman's eyes seemed to light up at the boy's agreement. "Splendid! And don't worry. I'd be happy to give you a rundown on Crests. When we have more time, that is."

Izuku followed the professor's gaze, which had shifted over his shoulder near the end of his comment. The students had begun settling into their various classrooms, with only a few stragglers still making their way in. "Of course. I'll be sure to meet you then." _Besides, if it's anything like quirks, I may have to start a brand new journal here_.

Hanneman gave a parting wave before heading off towards his own class, leaving the new professor alone in the courtyard. The boy took another steadying breath and adjusted his bag on his shoulder before following suit, crossing the courtyard and into his very own classroom.

* * *

"Don't you agree, Marianne?"

The blue-haired girl opened her mouth to reply, only half aware of what Hilda wanted her to agree with, when the classroom door opened and closed. The various conversations throughout the room quickly stopped as everyone turned to face the newcomer. Marianne remembered him from the day before when Claude had introduced him to everyone, but she had assumed he was going to be joining the Knights, not enrolling at the Officer's Academy.

"Byleth, hey! Are you...joining our class?" A curious glance from Ignatz did not go unnoticed by Marianne as Claude beckoned the new boy over. "I'm not complaining or anything, just a little surprised…"

The boy, Byleth, scratched the back of his head, giving a slightly nervous grin and glancing around at the rest of the class. "I guess that's one way to put it. Looks like I'm supposed to be your new professor."

There was a long moment of silence before his words seemed to register with the class. "Wait, what?" Hilda blurted out. "I was sure you were getting roped into joining the Knights!"

"Indeed, you're certainly not what I'd pictured for our new professor." A slight blush crossed Byleth's face before Ignatz realized what he'd said. "O-oh, sorry! I-I don't mean that in a bad way at all."

"It must be odd, being appointed as professor to students near your own age." Lorenz's self-important tone always made Marianne's skill crawl, and this time was certainly no exception. "I've heard you are a skilled mercenary, though I can't help but feel some level of unease at your position."

Byleth was about to respond when Claude butted in. "I don't think Seteth or Lady Rhea would ask him to be a teacher if they didn't feel he could fill the role. Honestly, I think I'm going to be more uncomfortable being all formal around you than anything else."

The young professor chuckled, his grin returning without its nervous edge. "I'm pretty sure that would make everything even more weird than it already is. We can skip the formalities for now."

"Well, that's a relief!" Raphael's overly loud voice filled the classroom, and Marianne couldn't help but agree with him. "Besides, formalities and whatnot just get in the way of the really important stuff. Like training and eating! I can't wait to spar with you and see what you can do, Professor."

While the rest of the class laughed and groaned in equal parts at their peer's usual antics, Ignatz turned to his large-statured friend with a slight grin. "I'm pretty sure you'd have a rough time there, Raph. Our new professor was recommended by Alois himself."

Claude nodded along with the bespectacled boy. "Plus, he's learned from the best. He's the son of the former captain of the Knights of Seiros, and lives up to the reputation."

"Really? You're the Captain's son?" Leonie's outburst surprised Marianne. The redhead was usually somewhat reserved, even if she was a little eccentric. "I knew he was at the monastery, but had no idea his son was, too!"

Lysithea was the first to express any kind of confusion. "The… Captain? I'm sorry, who?"

"Captain Jeralt. He's one of the most renowned Knights, and the best mercenary alive!"

The professor shook his head, laughing lightly at the girl's excitement. "I'm pretty sure calling him 'the best mercenary alive' is a bit of an exaggeration."

Leonie's expression soured a little as she folded her arms in irritation. "Well, whatever you think, Captain Jeralt deserves nothing but respect."

"It sounds like our professor is definitely qualified, judging by his background." Lysithea tilted her head, her crimson eyes examining Byleth thoughtfully.

Hilda huffed lightly, turning slightly towards the younger girl. "Just because his dad is special doesn't necessarily mean he is. It's a _bad_ idea to think someone is going to be amazing just because of their lineage. Isn't that right, Marianne?"

"Huh?" _Goddess! Why does she do this? Stop drawing attention to me._ The blue-haired girl ducked her head slightly, trying in vain to remain unnoticed. "I, uh, suppose so."

"Hey now," Claude spoke up, thankfully drawing everyone's attention away from her. "I've seen Byleth fight first-hand, so I can vouch for his skill."

Leonie's pout faded to a grin as she unfolded her arms. "Guess we'll have to wait for our first battle to see it for ourselves."

"Battles can wait. We should have a welcoming party!" Raph glanced around at the other students for approval before continuing. "I'll go get us some food."

Lorenz scoffed. "So crude. I propose a nice conversation over some tea. I have some fine leaves that would be perfect for such an event."

"Tea? You can't get to know someone over tea…"

A rather loud argument ensued, with a few of the others joining in. Marianne instinctively shrunk away from the sudden noise, ending up closer to Claude, who simply shook his head and rubbed his temples lightly.

"I'm glad to see most of you are already comfortable around me," Byleth joked nervously.

The class leader chuckled. "They're a rowdy bunch for sure. Definitely a mixed bag: nobles and commoners, slackers and hard workers. But hey, at least it'll keep life interesting, right?"

Byleth nodded in agreement, taking one last look at each of the students before making his way up to the podium and calling everyone to attention.

* * *

Hanneman's office door was wide open when Izuku arrived, and he could see the mustachioed professor pouring over an ancient looking book at his desk. After a moment, he knocked on the doorframe to announce his presence, assuming it would be impolite to just walk in on his own.

The older man glanced up at the sound, then smiled. "Come in, Byleth. Come in." He carefully closed the book as he spoke, reaching over to return it to a nearby bookshelf. "I hope you're not too worn out after your first day of teaching."

Izuku couldn't help but marvel at the sheer amount of books the professor's room contained. Shelves lined every wall, each one packed full with tomes of various sizes. "Uh, no, not at all. It was a fairly easy day, all things considered."

"Splendid!" Hanneman stood and crossed around to the front of his desk, folding back the rug to reveal a purple circle that looked vaguely reminiscent of a radar display. "Now, I was hoping you'd allow me to use this device to determine what type of crest you may bear."

"I'm not sure I understand… What are these 'Crests' you keep talking about?"

A look of shock formed on the man's features, which quickly turned to excitement. "Well then, allow me to tell you everything about them! Or, at least give you a summary. I don't think either of us wants to miss out on dinner." He straightened up and fell silent for a moment, apparently gathering his thoughts.

"Simply put, Crests are power incarnate. The only theory we have to their origins is that they were blessings from the Goddess herself, given to humans such as the Ten Elites and the Four Saints. What we do know is that they are passed down through bloodline, and that they exist within the bearer's body itself. Someone with a Crest may excel at magic or swordsmanship, may have increased stamina or strength, or any number of possible blessings. Though some crests may have similar traits, each one bears its own power, and the exact nature of that power is beyond our comprehension. For now, at least."

Hanneman stretched his arm out over the purple circle on the floor, and after a moment, his arm's shadow was replaced by a rune of sorts. The center was a curved T shape, with simple-looking wings on either side and a small circle above it all. "I bear a minor Crest of Indech. While it's power may be more applicable to combat, I believe it may have other uses as well."

_These Crests sound a lot like Quirks… Or maybe Quirk Factors? _Izuku hummed thoughtfully, gazing at the small pattern on the floor. "And you believe I may have one of these Crests?"

"I suspect, at the very least. As I said, they're passed down through blood, though the chances of a descendant actually inheriting a Crest's power is surprisingly low." The professor tapped his chin for a moment. "Regardless, there's no harm in checking, is there?"

"No, I suppose not. I just have to…?" The boy raised his arm over the device in the floor, just as he'd seen Hanneman do earlier. A faint glow came from the circle as his arm's shadow faded.

Hanneman let out a disappointed sigh. "Perhaps I was wrong. I thought for certain that—"

The circle glowed again, revealing a strange pattern of prismatic lines. Where Hanneman's Crest had been perfectly symmetrical, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the pattern that now filled the analyzer. "What in the world is this? I've never seen this—Could this be an as-yet undiscovered Crest? Amazing to think a Crest may exist that I've never even heard of." His excited ramblings cut short as he rushed to one of the bookshelves, selecting a few tomes and carefully extracting them. "My apologies, Byleth, I simply must look into this. You can leave if you'd like. Simply fascinating…"

Confused, Izuku turned his attention back to the pattern on the floor, its lines slowly cycling through the entire color spectrum. _Does… Byleth have a Crest? Or is this detecting… something else?_

* * *

The sun had sunk well below the horizon by the time Izuku left the classroom for the day. His first week of teaching had passed mostly without incident, thanks to Byleth's memories and continued help from Claude and the other professors at the academy. Of course, it didn't hurt that his actual teaching responsibilities were fairly limited, consisting mostly of battle tactics and one-on-one training, both of which Byleth seemed to have been fairly competent with. This didn't leave him entirely off the hook, though, since there were still some sizable gaps in his knowledge that needed filling. Hanneman and Manuela had both been kind enough to offer some after-hours tutoring to help him fill those gaps, specifically regarding history and magic theory. It was certainly a lot to take in, but he knew the extra work would pay off in the long run.

"_I hope you're not planning to practice with your power this evening." _Sothis's voice sounded almost as tired as Izuku felt. _"You need to give your muscles a rest, especially after the intensity of your training today."_

Izuku rolled his shoulders as he walked back towards the dormitories. "No, not tonight. I wouldn't be surprised if I wake up covered in bruises tomorrow, after that last round with Leonie."

"_It would seem your body is much more accustomed to wielding a sword than a lance." _

The girl's amused tone might have irritated Izuku somewhat had he not been so tired. Instead, he decided to ignore the comment altogether. "I'm just grateful tomorrow is Saturday. I've been wanting to explore this place a little more."

His body moved on autopilot as he changed into his sleepwear, absently wishing this world had the plumbing necessary for a warm shower. "I guess I'll have to give the spa a visit tomorrow," he mused, before blowing out the few candles in his room and climbing into bed.

Sothis chuckled in his mind. _"Just be sure not to squander your free time. There are some things that would take pri—"_

A blinding pain lanced through his legs and back as all strength in his body vanished into nothingness. The soft mattress beneath him turned to stone, and bright sunlight assaulted his eyelids. _Sothis? Sothis! What the hell is happening?_ After a moment, all sensation faded into the distance, the light becoming distant and the pain fading. He tried to move, to speak, but nothing happened. He was trapped

"—ied to reach him. I-I couldn't get to him in time." A girl's voice rang in his mind, coming from right beside him, yet seemingly far away. It sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure why. "I wanted… to stop him… b-but…"

"It's ok, sweetie. You did everything you could." Izuku recognized the second voice immediately, but it only brought more confusion._ Re—Recovery Girl?_ "I was able to stabilize him, and now that the ambulance is here, he'll be just fine. Now, let's take a look at your injuries."

The two voices continued, but quickly faded into the distance. The ground beneath Izuku shifted and he felt himself rock back and forth for a moment. A moment later, he heard the sound of two large, metallic doors latch shut before his consciousness faded to black.


End file.
